The Philippines’ Aira Villegas, right, celebrates after defeating France’s Wassila Lkhadiri in their women’s 50kg quarterfinal boxing match at the Paris Olympics 2024, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
MANILA, Philippines—In February of 2023, Aira Villegas absorbed a disheartening quarterfinal loss in the 74th Strandja Cup in Bulgaria at the hands of France’s Wassila Lkhadiri.
On Sunday morning (Manila time), Villegas stared at the same ghost in almost the same situation in another quarterfinal bout but this time on the biggest stage of them all at the Paris Olympics 2024 in France.
And this time, Villegas did not let the ghost of her past haunt her any longer. FULL STORY